Cheyne’s Photo Blog

Arabian Prince

   

I never like to do the obvious, so when I was contemplating a theme for South American model Marcos, I immediately discounted doing a "Futbol"-themed shoot; Sports is not my thing. I wanted something that would showcase his exotic looks (and impressive physique) and also my signature vintage style.

It dawned on me to take a trip to the Middle East and re-create an Arabian Nights theme. After some research, I had a better understanding of Arabic & Middle-Eastern styles of garments and how I can reproduce them on a budget. I lucked out and found some great harem pants on sale at the local Goodwill. Paired with layers of costume jewelry and a gold vest I already had, the outfit was complete - except for the headgear.

I own an actual Fez (a souvenir from my friend's trip to Egypt) and a muslim knit cap, but they still didn't look right to me. Well, as you can tell from the 2nd photo, the solution was staring me right in the face, so I went with it. Yes, I used the same window curtain that I used for the Matador shoot. It was the perfect color & texture, so how could I refuse? Wrapped around his head and accented with a gold brooch I got from Japan, the look was complete!

You heard it here first, people, the stylist who refuses to use the same outfit twice did it this time. The lesson here is one of re-invention: view an object as something else, re-purpose it, and it will ensure you stay under budget and will flex your creative muscles.

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70's Chic

     

Let it be known that as much as I love the 50's, I am also in love with the 70's. Whereas the 50's were about clean-cut colors and perfection, the 70's were about crazy polyester patterns and just looking cool. At least that's what I think ;)
 
When I first saw my model Azhjeli, I wasn't sure if I had the skills to work with him. He had long hair, something I had never worked with before on male models. After I found out he had cut his hair, I began to see potential, especially since he had a rockin' great physique.
 
My original idea was to continue my "Pleasantville" series (first started with my Milkman session) with a vintage postman. I had difficulty styling the outfit to look authentic and a location was baffling me, so I opted to do another decade. I had a polyester shirt I'd been dying to use since I purchased it. The location was originally supposed to be in front of an old, run-down apartment complex, which I thought resembled an old 70's motel. When we arrived at the location, we found it had been fenced up, no doubt soon to be demolished. Disappointed, but determined, I thought the next best location was a turqoise-colored building on King St. I always pass this building during my lunch breaks, so I knew from the start I wanted to shoot there.
 
In his polyester shirt ($7.00 @ Goodwill!), baby blue slacks and white leather shoes, Azhjeli looked every bit authentic and people couldn't help but slow down and stare. I think it'd be neat to be recognized on the street one day simply because I'm the only photographer in Hawaii who shoots vintage-themed photos.
 
I love the 70's and can't wait to shoot another 70's-inspired set. Will you be my next model?

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Walkin' the walk, talkin' the talk

     

I recently had the opportunity to shoot the Kane Magazine Men's Fall Fashion Show held at the Honolulu Design Center. There was a lot of interesting activity going on. The only other photographer I recognized was my friend Kaveh Kardan. Together, we assessed the dimly-lit runway and what would be the best way to get good photos of the clothes. He setup a photobooth at the end of the runway (out of view of the public) where the models could have their photo taken in controlled light.

I wanted to use my lights on the runway and had to use my noggin to figure out the best spot. Unlike other fashion shows where people sit along the runway, this show encouraged people to crowd around the runway. Most of the photographers were situated at the end of the runway in the "pit". I didn't want my lights to be knocked over by some drunken dude and I didn't want my lightstand to interfere with the shot of another photographer (out of mutual respect), so I opted to place my light at the beginning of the runway, facing me. The idea was to backlight the model, creating a halo effect. Sometimes it worked, sometimes it didn't. I needed to get my angle just right, or I risked getting a giant, burning lensflare.

Speaking of lensflare, I used other photographers' lights to cast an intentional lensflare on certain shots. I think the effect is stunning and it's what many amateur photographers try to mimic using software like Photoshop. Getting a lensflare that looks good in-camera is not something everyone can do, but it's well worth the practice, don't you think?

I must let it be known that there was an older photographer present who found great joy in complaining to everyone that he was robbed of being on the cover of the current issue. His vulgar language and inappropriate behaviour only underlined why he, as professional as he may make himself out to be, will always be viewed as amateurish. Every photographer present was proud of their work and while making the cover would have been a great honor, no one felt slighted for not having done so. It's nice to have goals, it's in bad taste to let those goals consume you. So, Mr. Photographer, I would highly recommend you change your attitude, a bad attitude is so last season.

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Rails of Light

       

The 3rd Hawaii Strobist Workshop happened recently. This time, it was held on the Leeward side of the island at the Ewa Railroad Station, the last remaining working railroad on the island. I think the combination of the geographic location and the unique venue itself was what made this our largest gathering since. 20+ talented photographers flocked to the event, cameras in hand and questions in mind.
 
I took the opportunity to expand and experiment with high-fashion shots, the type that grace the pages of GQ and VMan. Armed with my talented partner-in-crime (Brandon Marc) and four distinct outfits, we dug our heels in and had fun with the environment.
 
Taking a break from shooting, I discussed with some of the photographers different lighting methods. Someone had asked how to create effective rim-lighting, so I attempted to show them using 2 strobes (Canon 580EX & Quantaray900W) and some clever placement. Some caught on, while others scratched their heads. I assured them that the best way to learn was to try it out themselves at home. I swear by the trial and error method because it's how I learned.
 
In the end, it was a great adventure that yielded great results. I got to experiment with different clothing styles and other photographers got to experiment with different lighting styles and equipment.
 
Oh, and if you're interested in reading about the day from the model's perspective, check out Brandon's blog here: http://bmh.posterous.com

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